Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, one of the aspirants for the 2023 Presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC has on Sunday told the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Olubadan-designate, Oba Lekan Balogun that he is ready to get dirty for his 2023 Presidential ambition as no amount of intimidation will prevail on him to stand down his aspiration to be Nigeria President after Major General Muhammadu Buhari retired.
Tinubu made his stands known in the Palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and the Olubadan-designate, Oba Lekan Balogun during his consultation on the monarch.
Speaking at the Olubadan-designate’s palace in Ibadan, the National Leader of the APC insisted that no amount of intimidation could stop him from driving home his ambition.
He said his visit to Oyo and Ibadan was borne out of his respect for the royal stool, and to seek their blessings, cooperation and prayers to lead the country come 2023.
He said: “No amount of intimidation can stop me. I am ready to get dirty. I am out to become President of Nigeria at this moment that the country is at a crossroad.”
Speaking earlier at the Alaafin’s palace, he said: “I cannot embark on a project of such magnitude without seeking for prayers and cooperation of the traditional rulers.
“I am here to inform our fathers of my decision to run for the position of the President of this country in 2023. What I need from our highly referred traditional rulers are their prayers and cooperation.
“Today, by the special grace of God in Yorubaland unlike before we have the Vice-President, the Minister of Works, Interior and Sports but we still need more.”
Responding, Oba Adeyemi, who invoked the spirits of his fore-bearers, said his request has been granted.
He said all the ancestors of Yorubaland would work in his favour and answer his prayers.
He, therefore, asked the 10 Oke-Ogun traditional rulers in attendance at the meeting whether they were in support of his decision, and their response was: “We are fully in support.”
At the Olubadan-designate’s residence, the monarch said: “We have known you and we know your antecedent. We know your antecedent as a progressive. You laid the foundation of today’s Lagos. You are the leading light of Nigeria. You contributed to making Nigeria what it is today.
“Without Yoruba, Nigeria will not be what it is today. Nigeria is badly divided. We are looking forward to a Yoruba president who will unite this country. We need a leader that will have a national focus and national acceptability. The road may be rough but by His grace, you will triumph.”
